If you’ve watched many period dramas, you’ve probably seen a mantua. It was worn over a pair of stays (corset) and an often contrasting petticoat. The draping fabric created a front-opening gown.
Princess of Wales wore an embroidered silk dress by Alexander McQueen. She wore a pearl and diamond tiara, a gift from her late father, King George VI. Her husband, Prince Charles, wore a similar outfit. The wedding took place at Westminster Abbey in London, England, on May 6. The ceremony was attended by Queen Elizabeth II, Prince Philip, Prince Harry and Princesses Beatrice and Eugenie of Wales. The reception was held at St. James' Palace in London.
While men wrote about women “deforming” their bodies in corsets, there is very little writing from women themselves about what the experience was like.